Assistance Dog in Training
I've been having a pretty bad flare-up the last couple of weeks . . . bad enough that last week I had to call DH to come get me from Target because I wasn't able to drive home. I hate it when that happens.
Mira, though, is already showing herself to be incredibly helpful. She's getting more reliable with her alerts (or I'm getting better able to interpret them). Somehow, she seems to know a few minutes ahead of time when I'm about to reach the end of my energy, have a crash, or get a migraine.
She's also learning how to lie down along my back with just the right amount of pressure to help provide pain relief when I'm really hurting. She makes a great canine hot water bottle, and she's long enough to stretch out the full length of my back.
With the trainer/behaviorist and the paperwork I needed from my doctor lined up, she's now an official "service dog in training." She even has the service pack that says so. (The camera is missing right now, but when we find it I'll post a picture of Mira in her service-dog-in-training gear.)
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I am amazed at how much difference it makes in my pain levels just to have her carry the things in her pack that I would normally be carrying in a purse. She has all the essentials in the pack on her back, and there's even a spot to clip my keys.
Yesterday I had a much-needed chiropractor appointment, and afterwards was extremely tired and sore. I got home and decided to sit down at the computer to check e-mail quickly before we had to leave for a family gathering. But Mira wouldn't let me.
She insistently alerted until I said, "What is it? Show me."
She led me to the bedroom and stared from me to the bed and back. She's been doing this when it's bedtime.
"OK, OK, you're right. I really should lie down for a few minutes."
So I rested for a few minutes, and then felt like I could manage to go to the family gathering. I really wanted to see my aunt and uncle who were in town briefly and were leaving to head back to Indonesia today.
As we were getting ready to go, I gingerly gathered my things together, trying to move or bend as little as possible.
Then I dropped my keys.
I stood there staring at them, thinking, "Oh, no. Am I going to have to bend down to pick those up? I don't know if I can manage to get all the way down to the floor right now."
Then I remembered: Mira! I asked her to hand me the keys, and she picked them up and gave them to me perfectly. That was easy.
We had a lovely time visiting at the family gathering. After we'd been there for a while, Mira started alerting and led me to the door. I thought maybe she needed to go to the bathroom, but no. She led me to our van. So I went back in and told DH that Mira said we needed to go.
Mira helped me gather together our things, picking up her portable water dish and handing it to me to put in her pack, picking up the bag of treats (although she wasn't sure she wanted to give them up for a moment), and even helping get MM's shoes (it was the first time I'd asked her to pick up a shoe, and the task needs a bit of work, but she tried).
By the time we got out to the van, my pain levels were between a 7 and 8, getting into the van was a challenge, and I was on the verge of tears. All I wanted was to be at home and in bed. I was so glad we were already loaded up and in the van by that point rather than just starting to pack up and get ready after I'd already crashed.
Mira was right on-the-dot with her alert. And very timely. I don't know how she can tell several minutes before it happens, but somehow she knew in time to give me a chance to get my things together and go before the crash actually happened.
I'm just so amazed, over and over again, by this dog. Somehow God provided a miracle in bringing this rescue dog into our lives. Mira is definitely a fitting name.
Mira, though, is already showing herself to be incredibly helpful. She's getting more reliable with her alerts (or I'm getting better able to interpret them). Somehow, she seems to know a few minutes ahead of time when I'm about to reach the end of my energy, have a crash, or get a migraine.
She's also learning how to lie down along my back with just the right amount of pressure to help provide pain relief when I'm really hurting. She makes a great canine hot water bottle, and she's long enough to stretch out the full length of my back.
With the trainer/behaviorist and the paperwork I needed from my doctor lined up, she's now an official "service dog in training." She even has the service pack that says so. (The camera is missing right now, but when we find it I'll post a picture of Mira in her service-dog-in-training gear.)
#########################################
I am amazed at how much difference it makes in my pain levels just to have her carry the things in her pack that I would normally be carrying in a purse. She has all the essentials in the pack on her back, and there's even a spot to clip my keys.
Yesterday I had a much-needed chiropractor appointment, and afterwards was extremely tired and sore. I got home and decided to sit down at the computer to check e-mail quickly before we had to leave for a family gathering. But Mira wouldn't let me.
She insistently alerted until I said, "What is it? Show me."
She led me to the bedroom and stared from me to the bed and back. She's been doing this when it's bedtime.
"OK, OK, you're right. I really should lie down for a few minutes."
So I rested for a few minutes, and then felt like I could manage to go to the family gathering. I really wanted to see my aunt and uncle who were in town briefly and were leaving to head back to Indonesia today.
As we were getting ready to go, I gingerly gathered my things together, trying to move or bend as little as possible.
Then I dropped my keys.
I stood there staring at them, thinking, "Oh, no. Am I going to have to bend down to pick those up? I don't know if I can manage to get all the way down to the floor right now."
Then I remembered: Mira! I asked her to hand me the keys, and she picked them up and gave them to me perfectly. That was easy.
We had a lovely time visiting at the family gathering. After we'd been there for a while, Mira started alerting and led me to the door. I thought maybe she needed to go to the bathroom, but no. She led me to our van. So I went back in and told DH that Mira said we needed to go.
Mira helped me gather together our things, picking up her portable water dish and handing it to me to put in her pack, picking up the bag of treats (although she wasn't sure she wanted to give them up for a moment), and even helping get MM's shoes (it was the first time I'd asked her to pick up a shoe, and the task needs a bit of work, but she tried).
By the time we got out to the van, my pain levels were between a 7 and 8, getting into the van was a challenge, and I was on the verge of tears. All I wanted was to be at home and in bed. I was so glad we were already loaded up and in the van by that point rather than just starting to pack up and get ready after I'd already crashed.
Mira was right on-the-dot with her alert. And very timely. I don't know how she can tell several minutes before it happens, but somehow she knew in time to give me a chance to get my things together and go before the crash actually happened.
I'm just so amazed, over and over again, by this dog. Somehow God provided a miracle in bringing this rescue dog into our lives. Mira is definitely a fitting name.
Labels: health issues, pets, SD
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Posted by purple_kangaroo at 9:50 AM[Permanent link]
4 Comments:
I'm so sorry to hear about your flare-ups. But Mira sounds awesome! Wow.
That is just so amazing and I am so thankful and happy the Lord has sent Mira to you. What a testimony of how the Lord works everything out perfectly according to His good will. He created that dog especially for you. You know I was thinking about you Monday night. We were at MILs with her mother there visiting from out of town. We were talking about all the dogs in the family and one of MILs that passed away a couple of years ago was brought up. I can't believe it didn't cross my mind reading about Mira. This dog would alert MIL when her blood sugar was about to bottom out. We're not talking about getting low- MILs has dropped so badly, actually shortly after the dog passed- that she was in the hospital overnight because by the time the EMT got there her sugar had been so low for so long her body temp was cooling down too! If the dog was there she would have been able to alert her that night :( That got brought up because of the news story that day about a service dog for a man that had seizures called 911 when he had a seizure. The dog was taught how to call 911 using speed dial somehow. Amazing!!
Hope you're feeling better today (((A)))
Thanks, Kevin.
Wendy, it's actually quite common for service dogs to be trained to detect blood sugar levels for diabetics. I think a person's scent changes when their blood sugar level changes, and many dogs can alert to that. Maybe your mom could get another dog trained to do that for her.
Really? I didn't realize that. This dog was a stray that showed up that she took in. We just thought she was special! ;) She currently has three other dogs in the house, that joins with her SO in his house while she works, with his two large ones, I'm not so sure they'd be up to another one. I wonder how much those dogs cost though? hhmmm ....
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